Burnside Skatepark documentary screens Sunday at San Pedro fest
The documentary Through My Board, directed by Dan Eason, screens at the San Pedro International Film Festival on November 15 at 5:00 PM at Starlight Terrace Cinemas in Los Angeles. The film follows Paul Johnson, a Black Deaf skater, across his 33-year journey at Portland's Burnside Skatepark. It shows Johnson's life alongside that of the park's longtime skaters as they confront aging, addiction and other challenges inside skate culture. Johnson began skating near age 10 after accompanying his cousin to a shop and acquired skills solely through observation because no interpreter was available.
Johnson has said skateboarding taught him persistence and patience while making him eager to learn. He practiced tricks such as the kickflip by repeated attempts without stopping and studied movements the way he approached homework, an approach that also supported his schoolwork. At Burnside he found belonging and acceptance, describing the skaters there as his family and expressing hope that the film would illustrate how the director and interpreters collaborated to present something new about deaf culture.
Director and producer Dan Eason grew up in the Cincinnati Tri-State area and arrived in Portland two decades after the first wave of skaters reached Burnside in the early 1990s. His production credits span music videos, documentaries and community arts projects across the United States. He has worked with 4th Row Films in New York City, World of Wonder and Kamp Grizzly. Feature film work includes Eagle Eye, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore and The Night Always Comes. Television contributions include multiple seasons of Grimm plus The OA and Everything Sucks!.
Burnside Skatepark drew visitors from around the world as its reputation grew. The culture in the 1990s was known for being gritty and territorial, yet the space evolved into a more welcoming environment that now supports skaters of varying abilities and backgrounds. Eason has noted that the park demonstrates what occurs when a site built and maintained by skaters becomes a genuine home for its community.
The film highlights representation of the Deaf community in sports. Eason worked with interpreters throughout production. Johnson hopes audiences will see the collaboration between director and interpreters and gain exposure to aspects of deaf culture rarely shown before. Eason bonded with Johnson shortly after moving to Portland and has described the skater's dedication to connecting through skateboarding and his tenacity in communicating with hearing people as inspiring.
Through My Board received the Best Documentary Feature award at the Chelsea Film Festival. With skateboarding scheduled for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the documentary centers everyday participants and the community behind the sport, presenting voices seldom featured on screen. Eason has said he wanted to remind viewers what community looks like when diversity, altruism and unity arise naturally rather than as mere statements.
The November 15 screening at 5:00 PM during the San Pedro International Film Festival offers audiences a chance to experience the story at Starlight Terrace Cinemas. Eason believes viewers will come away with greater inclusion toward deaf communities, Burnside and Portland as a city that accepts subcultures.
